Sports Then and Now

With the big day just around the corner, there’s going to be a lot of punters looking to get some money involved with Grand National 2018 betting. Of course, if you’re looking to make your money back, it couldn’t hurt to check out the Betfair Grand National tips to see who the favourite is. Of course, not all bets made at the Grand National are solely for the sake of winning money. Some of the bets are placed with the intention of raising money for charity. One specific, and very appropriate, charity: the Injured Jockey’s Fund.

The Injured Jockey’s Fund first appeared in the 1960’s under the influence of John Oaksey. Well, his full name was John Geoffrey Tristram Lawrence, 4th Baron Trevethin and 2nd Baron Oaksey, but for obvious reasons he went by John Oaksey. Oaksey came from nobility but became a jockey because he really enjoyed riding horses and was encouraged in doing what he loved by his father. Oaksey also worked as the racing correspondent for the Daily Telegraph which meant he could report on his races first hand, including a memorable instance in 1963 where he reported directly on what was happening in a race that he lost by barely a quarter of a length. This reporting is still hailed by some as one of the finest pieces of sports writing in the world. Read the rest of this entry →